Tag Futebol

Everton midfielder Dele Alli potentially permanently joining Besiktas this summer “makes no sense”, according to Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell.

What's the latest on Alli's future?

The Premier League veteran joined the Turkish outfit on a season-long loan in August 2022 but had his spell cut short after returning to Goodison Park to receive treatment on his hip tendon injury, not to mention that they decided not to trigger the buy option included in his terms.

England’s former international had a disappointing time in the Super Lig, scoring just three goals all season, but despite his poor form, the club’s president Ahmet Nur Cebi recently admitted that they could look to take the 27-year-old back on a permanent basis during the upcoming window.

Back in April, Sean Dyche revealed that no decision has yet been made regarding the future of the Toffees star, who will be out of contract next summer, with the boss first and foremost wanting him to focus on getting fully fit again.

Speaking to Goodison News, Campbell delivered his verdict on Alli returning to Besiktas for good should his deal at Everton get terminated, and it’s fair to say that he’s completely against the move taking place. He said:

“No I just don’t see it. I don’t know what’s going on. To me that makes no sense. He’s not good enough for you now so you’re sending him back, but you’ll sign him on a free in the summer? That makes no sense. No sense at all.”

Should Everton keep or sell Alli?

Everton will have a lot of decisions to make on the futures of their senior first-team players if they get relegated at the end of the season, but Alli has only ever made 13 Merseyside appearances and has hugely disappointed during those, so regardless of the club's league status, Farhad Moshiri should cut all ties this summer.

The Adidas-sponsored athlete has scored zero goals with no assists for the Blues since joining, and throughout the 2021/22 season where he made the bulk of his outings, he only managed to record three shots all campaign, with none of those even being on target, as per FBRef, not to mention he was ranked the 21st worst member of the squad with a WhoScored match rating of 6.26.

If there was further reason to get him out of the building, Alli also pockets £100k-per-week and is the third-highest earner on the books, which is unbelievable for a player who isn't even part of the senior fold right now, so letting him go would help free up the wage bill and put the spare cash towards signing some fresh faces in the weeks and months ahead.

Journalist Craig Hope has revealed that Newcastle United defender Paul Dummett could be set for a new contract as he is a home-ground player.

What's the latest Newcastle contract news?

When you think of the exciting talents you might expect to see representing the Magpies in the Champions League next season, you think more of Alexander Isak – Neymar even – than 31-year-old Dummett.

After all, the defender has played just once for Newcastle in all competitions this season and his reported £35k-p/w contract is up in the summer.

However, manager Eddie Howe recently seemed to allude to the fact that the Englishman could soon be handed an extension.

When asked if Dummet may have a chance of being given a new deal, the manager told BBC Sport: "Very much so. I see Paul [as] part of our future.

"When you build a squad, you are never going to be able to play everybody for the amount they want.

"You want players that are prepared to fight for their place, train really well and have a good effect on the group."

Adding his own input to the situation, Hope has now potentially outlined why Dummett may be of particular use to Newcastle with European football on the horizon.

Speaking on YouTube, the journalist said (1:51): "He does tick a lot of boxes in terms of that character, his professionalism, he can play a number of positions.

"And most importantly, you know, if they are going to go into the Champions League next year, you do need four players on your books who are qualified as home-trained. That is [players] who have spent three years at the club between 15 and 21.

"And, you know, Paul satisfies that criteria. And I just think now there is a chance that he will get a new deal beyond this summer.

"In fact, the way Eddie was talking this morning, so glowingly about him, I dare say it might be one of those where the contract length is undisclosed, it could be so long."

Why would Newcastle give Paul Dummett a new contract?

Having come through at Newcastle as a youngster – spending his entire career with the Magpies apart from loan spells to Gateshead and St. Mirren – it's safe to say everyone at the club will know what they're going to get from Dummett.

And while he might not be the most exciting footballer in the world, on the basis of Howe and Hope's comments, it certainly sounds as though he is a model professional.

With 205 senior appearances to his name, Dummett is an experienced squad option who can count as a home-grown player to have in the Champions League squad next term, should Newcastle finish inside the top four.

With all that in mind, you can see why it might more sense to just keep him around on relatively low wages – as opposed to having to spend money on bringing in somebody new who would have to fit the same criteria.

All in all, it sounds as though fans can expect to see a contract extension announcement in the near future.

Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice is just 'waiting' for the Gunners to make an offer for him, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest on Rice to Arsenal?

The West Ham United star is a player of real interest to Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu, according to recent reports, with claims suggesting they're the current favourites.

Rice is also thought to be on his way out of east London this summer and is set to leave David Moyes – previously making no secret of his desire to play at the top level.

"Growing up as a kid I’ve seen all these top players win the trophies, win the Premier League, the Champions League," said Rice in an interview last year.

“Me as a football fan and a player I want to win the best stuff, I want to win the Premier League, I want to lift that trophy, I want to win the Champions League, I want to win the FA Cups, League Cups, even with England, I want to win it all."

As such, Arsenal are looking to take advantage of his situation in an attempt to shore up their midfield – with the 24-year-old standing out as one of their primary transfer targets.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Jones has claimed that the England international is simply 'waiting' for Arsenal to come in for him when asked about Newcastle's chances of signing the player.

He explained:

"If they make the top four, obviously, it becomes more possible and they can join the conversation, but it still depends on the level of funding on such a deal.

"It will involve how the player himself views the project. It's obviously an intriguing one, but from Declan Rice's point of view, at the moment, all the focus is waiting for Arsenal to make an offer. That's his preference."

Should Arsenal sign Rice?

The homegrown ace is West Ham's star player and general in centre-midfield – averaging their highest rate of interceptions per 90 whilst also standing out as their best-performer overall (WhoScored).

He's also been called 'underrated' by members of the media for what he does, and what's more, reliable journalist David Ornstein of The Athletic has indicated he could leave West Ham for around £75 million this summer.

Rice's stance on a move to north London will only strengthen the case for Arsenal to make a move and we believe he could strengthen Arteta's ranks to no end.

Arsenal have been told by Marseille boss Igor Tudor that they have an "extraordinary" young player in Nuno Tavares, amid his loan spell in France.

Which Arsenal players could leave this summer?

Tavares, who only signed for the Gunners in the summer of 2021, arrived with a big reputation – having really impressed for Portuguese giants Benfica.

However, over a season-and-a-half later, the 23-year-old finds himself on loan at Marseille and on the periphery of Mikel Arteta's side – leaving the door open for his potential permanent exit alongside a few others.

Indeed, Tavares has been billed as one of the players who could depart Arsenal permanently this summer – with Kieran Tierney, Mohamed Elneny, Rob Holding and Nicolas Pepe having also been mentioned as nominees for the chopping block.

It has been heavily reported that Arsenal 'would like to sell' Tavares and do not want him back for another full campaign (via Football Club de Marseille), but according to Tudor, they could be wanting to get rid of a real talent.

Should Arsenal really sell Tavares?

Speaking to the media (via Foot Mercato), Marseille's head coach has really endored the young defender on Arsenal's books – claiming he has 'extraordinary' explosivenes and can make a difference for his Ligue 1 side.

Tudor said:

“He is a boy who is still young. He played two days ago with Portugal U21. He has high level physical qualities. He has extraordinary explosiveness. He could play at Real Madrid, Barca or Manchester City. There are other things he needs to improve. "He must progress, we often talk. There's always room for improvement, we're here to help. We make him see concrete things to improve. He scored 5, 6 goals, I don't know. He has always been important to us even if he has not had continuity. He is still participating, he is an important player for us. As I always say, we hope he will help us in the last ten games. He is a player who, when he is in good shape, can change things. He can make a difference."

The former Portuguese top flight starlet clearly has a real ability that has impressed Tudor, making you wonder if Arteta and the Premier League title-chasers should hand Tavares another opportunity to impress at the Emirates.

According to WhoScored, he has been absolutely phenomenal for Marseille this season – ranking among their top four best-performing players by average match rating. He's also completed more successful take-ons per 90 than anyone in Marseille's squad – chipping in with six goals in 21 starts.

Leeds United would "jump at the chance" to re-sign Raphinha during the summer transfer window, according to an exciting new update.

How is Raphinha doing at Barcelona?

The 26-year-old became a true hero at Elland Road during a two-year stint there between 2020 and 2022, wreaking havoc with his brilliance out wide. He left the club last summer, however, joining Barcelona in a transfer that was simply too good to turn down.

Raphinha has struggled to consistently set the world alight at the Camp Nou, only starting 15 of his side's La Liga matches and scoring six times in the competition. It may be that the Brazilian is allowed to leave at the end of the season, although that remains up in the air currently.

With Leeds boss Javi Gracia no doubt desperate to make significant additions of his own this summer, assuming the Whites avoid relegation from the Premier League and he stays on as manager, an eye-catching rumour has emerged.

Could Raphinha rejoin Leeds?

According to Football Insider, Leeds would "jump at the chance" to bring Raphinha back to Elland Road at the end of the season, in what would be an audacious piece of business. It is stated that Barca could be forced to sell the winger because of their current financial issues, which could pave the way for a reunion.

The report does state that the Whites are still unlikely to be in the running for the Brazil international's signature, who is currently earning £199,000-per-week, but it isn't completely ruled out.

The majority of Leeds supporters would surely take Raphinha back in a heartbeat, considering what an influential performer he was, being hailed as a 'magician' of a footballer by former teammate Dan James. He scored 17 goals and registered 12 assists for the Whites, so often proving to be their biggest attacking threat.

The biggest stumbling block surrounding a potential return is whether he feels it is a big step down, however, considering the size of Barca as a club and Leeds' current struggles towards the bottom of the Premier League. He may want to continue at a club plying its trade in either the Champions League or the Europa League, which would effectively rule the Whites out of the running.

Should a return to Leeds suddenly appeal to Raphinha, though, it is a piece of news that could light up the club's summer transfer business.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Arsenal are eyeing up midfield sensation Romeo Lavia ahead of a potential summer move.

What's the latest on Arsenal's transfer targets?

Mikel Arteta is clearly in hot pursuit of a central midfielder this summer, with reports that Declan Rice is the club's top target, and this follows a January window where large bids were made for Moises Caicedo.

The league leaders are now also keeping an eye on 19-year-old Lavia, who has impressed for Southampton in his 24 appearances this season.

A young option who can rotate with Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Granit Xhaka is seemingly on the wishlist, and Lavia has earned plaudits from his peers, with ex-teammate Kevin de Bruyne previously describing the Belgian as "very good".

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that whilst Arsenal are keeping an eye on the £25k-per-week star, there is nothing concrete in terms of a move just yet.

He said: "Arsenal are keeping an eye on the player.

"Arsenal are following Romeo Lavia, but at the moment, [there is] still nothing advanced. Arsenal have many options."

Why do Arsenal want a midfielder?

Three of Arsenal's main central midfielders in Xhaka, Partey and Jorginho are all aged 29 or older, and Partey's fitness record is particularly inconsistent.

Arsenal are often reliant on Partey at the base of the Arsenal midfield, with Xhaka and Martin Odegaard pushing forward. Whilst Jorginho has stepped in to great effect at times since his January arrival – including a performance against Aston Villa where he helped create the winning goal – a longer-term rotation option could be of great use.

This could explain the interest in younger talents such as Rice and Caicedo, and Lavia may be viewed as an alternative option to the pair.

However, it remains unclear if Lavia can step into Partey's shoes, even as a rotational option. Partey ranks in the top 5% of midfielders in Europe's top competitions over the past year for progressive passes, with the Ghanaian helping Arsenal build attacks from deep, while Lavia ranks in the bottom 29% in this regard, as per FBref.

Although he is still young, the experience Partey and Jorginho bring to the team may be lacking in someone as raw as Lavia. With just 26 senior appearances to his name in his career, it may be a tough task for him to step into a midfield which could potentially compete for the league title again next season.

Declan Rice, in contrast, is West Ham's captain, and has experience domestically, in Europe and on the international stage. Arsenal may have more confidence in the Englishman's ability to step in and perform when needed given the vast difference in pedigree between him and Lavia.

Sky Sports News journalist Kaveh Solhekol has claimed that the Manchester United takeover can happen “pretty quickly” with just two bidders interested – and that will be a big boost for upcoming transfer plans.

What’s the latest on the Man United takeover?

With the club seemingly up for sale, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari-linked Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani have made official bids. And while US hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has also put its name forward as potential investors, the firm is not in line to make a bid of its own.

With that in mind, it looks to be a two-horse race if the Glazers do decide to sell the club for good. According to Solhekol, this could potentially mean a sale can happen in the near future.

If that is the case, the journalist explained, manager Erik ten Hag will be happy as he will want to know who is going to be “signing the cheques” in the summer transfer market.

While talking on Sky Sports News, he explained: “If there are only two serious bidders to buy all of Manchester United, then this can happen pretty quickly.

“I think, ideally, for everybody, if it was to happen by the end of the season, that would be perfect. Because going into the transfer window, Erik ten Hag needs to know who’s going to be signing the cheques.

“Is it going to be the Glazers? Is it going to be Sheikh Jassim? Is it going to be Sir Jim Ratcliffe? So it would make sense if it’s sorted out before the end of the season.”

What does the latest takeover news mean for Man Utd’s transfer plans?

It seems as though the Glazers were unwilling or unable to spend big last January as the club opted to replace Cristiano Ronaldo with Burnley striker Wout Weghorst – who arrived on loan until the end of the season for a £2.6m fee.

With that in mind, if the summer arrives and no change has been made in terms of ownership, Ten Hag may well be concerned that he won’t be backed sufficiently to help take the club to a new level.

For example, when Weghorst’s loan ends the Red Devils will likely be in the market for an exciting new striker and £100m fees have been touted amid links to the likes of Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen.

Now if United has been sold to either Sir Jim Ratcliffe or Sheikh Jassim by that stage, then perhaps such deals would be possible. However, if the club’s future remains undecided in terms of ownership, then things may well be complicated.

Tottenham star Ivan Perisic has been criticised for his 4/10 display last night as Spurs crash out of the FA Cup fifth round to Sheffield United.

The Lowdown: Spurs defeated…

Antonio Conte’s side, once again lead by assistant coach Cristian Stellini in his absence, failed to exert their quality and ultimately succumbed to a humbling loss at Bramall Lane.

The north Londoners have won four out of their last five Premier League games, keeping four clean sheets in the process, but a plucky United side kept persevering till the final stages.

Stellini’s men created few openings and spurned any opportunities they did have, perhaps highlighted by an uncharacteristic missed free header from star striker Harry Kane late on.

Senegal international Iliman Ndiaye punished the away side with a brilliant solo goal to clinch United a 1-0 win on the night, dashing Tottenham’s hopes of any silverware this season.

The Latest: Media slate Perisic…

Members of the media have criticised Perisic in particular for his performance, stating:

“Offered little in the way of thrust or service from wing-back.” – Journalist Dan Kilpatrick, after giving Perisic a 4/10 match rating (via Evening Standard).

“Possible that despite being a free transfer, Perisic will ultimately still be remembered as a massive waste of money?” – James Maw, editor for The Athletic (via Twitter).

“Son, Perisic, Richarlison made to look average players. Quite a feature.” – Andreas Thau Loftager, Spurs podcaster (via Twitter).

“Of all the players we’ve signed in the last 3-4 years, Ivan Perisic was someone I was convinced would be a success. Instead, he’s been one of the worst. His set piece delivery has meant his stats look respectable to those who don’t watch him every week. But he’s so, so bad.” – Andrew Gaffney, football writer (via Twitter).

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-4/” title=”Tottenham latest news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Off night…

In terms of going forward and contributing in the attacking areas, there is a major argument to be made that the former Inter Milan star had a real off night.

According to SofaScore, Perisic lost possession a mammoth 34 times, completing just 58% of his passes against the Championship high-flyers.

The 34-year-old also found just one out of 11 attempted crosses, not to mention squandering over half of his long balls over 90 minutes.

While he did create one big chance and won the vast majority of his duels, both in the air and on the ground, this performance from Perisic could go down as one of his more regrettable.

There is seemingly little that can derail the optimism surrounding Newcastle United at present, with the Magpies currently gearing up for a first return to Wembley since 1999, having also put themselves firmly in the mix for Champions League qualification.

Since the change in ownership – as well as the change in the dugout – the Tynesiders have enjoyed a remarkable resurgence over the last 12 months or so, with the club now finally looking upwards after years of mediocrity during Mike Ashley’s time at the helm.

That being said, however, PIF – and Eddie Howe – may well still be suffering from the mistakes of the previous regime, with one of Ashley’s notable blunders having been the failure to keep hold of sparkling teenager, Bobby Clark, back in 2021.

Lauded as “Newcastle’s most promising youngster” by the Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, the 5 foot 10 gem – who is the son of club legend Lee Clark – was snapped up by Liverpool just over 18 months ago, with the Reds forking out a compensation fee of around £1.5m to get the deal over the line.

Speaking at the time of that exit, the aforementioned Ryder suggested that the lack of “ambition” at St James’ Park had been a factor in losing the “really exciting” asset, with the Merseysiders seemingly jubilant to have won the race ahead of reported rival interest from the likes of Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur.

While the exit of a 16-year-old may not have appeared too great of a blow, Clark has swiftly left the northeast side to rue their inability to keep him at the club, having already made his mark at Anfield.

Still only 18, the midfielder has already made two senior appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side to date, having notably been afforded his Premier League debut off the bench in the 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth back in August.

That senior bow had come amid what Klopp had described as the England U18 international’s “unbelievable” displays in training, having clearly already made a big impression on the experienced, Germany visionary.

What will further sting for those back on Tyneside is that the versatile playmaker – who can also feature as a forward – has earned comparisons to former Newcastle and England icon, Paul Gascoigne, with Ryder having stated:

“You have always go to be very careful with comparisons but for me – and I don’t talk about this lightly – but at the same sort of age, you had a young Paul Gascoigne at Newcastle,” Ryder explained.

“It was before the days of nutrition, dietitians and all of that, so Gascoigne was carrying a lot more weight than Bobby, but the reality is that sort of raw skill reminds me a little bit of Gazza at the same age.

“That is a very high target to go for, but comparing them at the same age, there is a similarity there for me. Gascoigne had an unbelievable career but not always the right guidance and nutrition around him, but Bobby has that around him and an opportunity to become the complete player.”

That glowing assessment is a marker of the potential diamond that Ashley and co let slip through their fingers, with it some feat to be compared to a player such as Gascoigne, who has previously been lauded as “phenomenal” by ex-Rangers teammate, Ally McCoist.

With Clark only likely to enjoy a more prominent role at his current side over the coming years, he does truly appear to be one that got away for the Magpies.

BBC Pundit Chris Sutton has slammed the use of VAR in Scotland following a controversial incident in the most recent Celtic match.

What’s the word?

The Bhoys claimed an easy win in the Scottish Cup this weekend over Greenock Morton but were set on their way by a questionable refereeing decision.

Indeed, Celtic took the lead at home when opposition defender Efe Ambrose was said to have handled the ball in the box after a lengthy VAR check.

Seeing as the ball deflected onto the player from such a short range after Liel Abada’s shot, it was a marginal call at best and probably one that didn’t need to be reviewed by technology after referee Kevin Clancy initially allowed play to go on.

While speaking about it all on the BBC phone-in radio show 606, Sutton highlighted the incident as another “poor” example of VAR in the country and dubbed it’s introduction as a “disaster”.

He said (10:01:46): “It’s not working, Celtic got it… You know that was poor, very poor yesterday, that decision.

“But I think the referees are panicking on the field and the VAR officials the same off the field. You know, it’s been a disaster.”

#VAR out?

Sutton isn’t the only one to think this most recent decision was a mistake with former Celtic footballer Peter Grant slamming the decision.

He said (via Daily Record):  “Not one Celtic player claimed for a penalty today. Not one supporter claimed for it, and we still can’t get it right.”

Before adding: “If I am Kevin Clancy on the pitch today, and I have played the game at all, it doesn’t matter what VAR is saying because I am not giving a penalty. These things happen, that’s football and the ball ricochets.

“It’s not a penalty kick. I wouldn’t have needed to go to the monitor, even if they had told me. I would have said no this is my job, I am here to referee the game and that’s exactly what I’ve done.”

VAR was only introduced to Scottish football earlier on in the season after nearly three years of planning, development and testing.

However, things have not gone smoothly since then. Indeed, on top of this most recent error, the Scottish FA referee operations admitted back in November that Jota’s supposed office goal for the Bhoys against Motherwell was unfairly ruled out due to an issue with the camera angle.

All in all, it’s easy to see why plenty still have their doubts about the technology.